I'm a newbie and have some questions regarding making a tiered cake. I want to make a 2 tier cake for our daycare family picnic. I've never attempted this before, obviously! Do you make and fill the layers and crumbcoat and then freeze/chill them before you stack? Or do you not need to freeze/chill at all? I've read conflicting info on this so I just want to get your opinions on what has worked for you. Also, do you need to dowel all the way through the 2 tiers or is that just for taller cakes? Any other advice on making a tiered cake is greatly appreciated!

I fill and ice my cakes separately. I dowel the bottom tier and place the top tier on when I get to the venue. Personally I don't dowel all the way through my cakes, just between the tiers and I don't chill or freeze them either. hth

I would go to Oasis supply, and get an SPS set. The directions are at the URL below. It is the easiest and most sturdy way to stack a cake, and you can transport the cake that way too.

[/url]http://cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-603925.html

Thank you all for your help. I will post a picture....if it turns out! Thanks again!

............do you need to dowel all the way through the 2 tiers ..............

I have made 1,000s of cakes w/o using a dowel through the tiers. A 2 tier cakes certainly does not need that. It can give one false confidence that the cake will not slip apart or fall.

.........Do you make, fill, crumbcoat and then freeze/chill them before you stack? ......

It is not necessary to freeze/chill cakes - either before nor after stacking. Again, I have made 1,000s and not done that. It does help to chill a cake before transporting IF you are in a hot & humid area.

Use plastic drink straws for support. To support a 6" top tier you only need 3 placed in a triangle form in the bottom cake.
When you start getting into more/bigger tiered cakes then I do agree w/using/investing in the SPS but for an occasional small 2 tier it's not all that necessary.